Milky Spore is a bacterium that preys on grubs — the favorite food of nuisance moles.

Moles benefit our lawns by eating root-destroying insects such as grubs, and their tunnels aerate our soil. Unfortunately, these same tunnels can make yards very unsightly. There are several steps you can take to decrease or eliminate mole activity in your yard.

Step 1: Reduce the amount you water your lawn. A drier lawn will cause earthworms to burrow deeper into the ground. Since moles feed on earthworms, they, too, will burrow deeper, or better yet, move on to more fertile ground elsewhere.

Step 2: Treat your lawn with Milky Spore. Milky Spore is a natural bacterium that preys on grubs but is not harmful to anything or anyone else. Once activated, Milky Spore will eradicate harmful grubs in your lawn for up to 15 years. Its easy application and one-time use makes it the perfect choice for all homeowners.

Step 3: Identify active tunnels. Use your shoe to depress a 3- to 6-inch portion near the center of each mole tunnel. Check the next day to see which tunnels have been repaired. These are the active tunnels. The rest have most likely been abandoned.

Step 4: Try a live trap. Carefully dig down into the center of an active tunnel. Place a quart canning jar or a coffee can below the floor of the tunnel. Cover the tunnel back up, assuring no light can get through. Check the trap daily. If you catch a mole, remove the jar or can and release it in a wooded area away from your and your neighbors’ lawns.

Step 5: If all else fails and you are certain you cannot cohabitate with the moles, extermination with a trap is the most effective option. Set the trap in the center of an active tunnel. The trap will not work if it is set near a tunnel opening. Repair the tunnel around the trap well enough to eliminate any light from showing through. If you wish to confirm the trap was effective once it has been activated, dig down along each side before removing the trap. Pulling the trap straight out will not necessarily bring with it any gains of the hunt.